Windows memory diagnostic won't stop looping

[bikerman7502002]

Hey,

I setup the windows memory diagnostic to run from my windows 7 RC last night to test the memory (obviously lol) since my build's having some issues.

Without getting into those issues, the memory diagnostic is running in it's loop, and the only options on the screen are F1 for the options menu (which will let me choose type of tests, etc, however it will run the tests I choose for as many runs as I choose, but then it will go right back to looping the default again), and ESC (for exit as you probably know as well... however it will not exit, only begin the default loop again).

The status has not shown any memory problems after I don't know how many loops, and the tests have never frozen, it just won't go to the OS. I'm sure there may be something I'm missing, but this is the first time this has happened.

Any ideas?

Thank You!

 

[Shadow703793]

1. Download and run Memtest86+.

2. Make sure RAM voltages are right.

3. List full specs.

 

[bikerman7502002]

alright, so I had memtest already on a cd, and used it through a full pass... no errors found. Upon exit the system rebooted and went back into the windows memory diagnostic loop same as earlier.

My system:
Haf 932 case
i7 920 cpu
asus p6t deluxe v.1
6gb ocz ddr3 1600 (running at 1066 at the moment)
WD caviar black 640gb hd (tested good with WD tech tools)
Zalman 850hp psu
Evga gtx280
Thermalright TRUE120 1366 with push fan
I've also got an lg dvd rw drive and a blu ray drive



Although I had my system overclocked for a while, I changed everything back to stock and auto in bios until I can get the system stable again. Basically it has completely random black screen shutdowns. Heat doesn't seem to be an issue with the cpu, gpu, motherboard, or the HDD as reported by either core temp, asus' pc probe 2, and evga precision. obviously exact temps are worthless since ambient temp and other factors play too big a role, but they are all well within thier limits, and i haven't even tried playing games in a few months... yes this random shutdown is when most components are almost idle or in use.
I don't know how to test a power supply, but I have no outward reason to think it's failing, and it will power the system and components for hours in the bios without shutting down also... this obviously doesn't test it's use with the system stressed, but the system isn't stressed (physically) when the shutdowns occur.

Sorry if I changed my own thread... that's all the basic info, but for now i simply can't get into the OS because of the looping of windows mem diag.

Thanks again

 

[bikerman7502002]

bump... if anyone want's to just answer the more basic how do I get the windows memory diagnostic to stop looping?

I have an external case for my HDD so i can run it in my laptop if there's a file for the WMD that I can delete (and stop it from running). That might be the simplest way if anyone knows that much instead?

 

[Twoboxer]

Try ctrl-shift-esc (or alt-ctrl-del) and get Task Manager up and kill the process?

Never used it - and prolly now I never will lol.

BTW, running Prime95 and checking the box to "Detect Rounding Errors" will probably catch more memory issues than any other diagnostic tool.

 

[bikerman7502002]

No windows memory diagnostic runs outside of the operating system, so no task manager is available.
Most people seem to like memtest better, but I've never heard anything bad about wmd, and this is the first time this has happened to me while running it.

 

[Twoboxer]

Been doing lots of diagnostics here on Tom's the last several months. I never saw a memory error memtest detected that Prime95 missed. OTOH, Prime95 has detected several right after memtest.

Memtest has one significant advantage - you can run it from a bootable CD.

 

[bikerman7502002]

that's wonderful about the prime95, but i can't get into the OS while wmd is looping continuously without me being able to exit it.

Also you can run wmd from a bootable cd or by setting it up within windows to run the next time window is starting up

Also unless someone knows better, I don't think I have a memory problem, since errors have never been detected with either prime95, memtest, or wmd on my system yet (as in ever, since building it), I just wanted to test it again now to rule out any memory problems.

 

[Zoron]

Reboot and press F8 as if you were going into Safe Mode or manually starting the memory diagnostic. Select "Boot Windows Normally".

 

[bikerman7502002]

i've tried that too... I don't know if I just don't have enough time, or if it's just not working. It's normally only about a second between post and the windows logo anyway, but it seems like wmd is starting even faster.

 

[JonathanDeane]

Try swapping sticks of ram, I am not sure if your board will boot with only one stick installed try that.

3 X 2GB sticks ? So if your system will boot from one stick you can test each one individually.

also if your RAM is bad then you have to question if your RAM was bad during the install process and if you burned your DVD disk on said system.... In other words any code that has ran through that RAM may be questionable.

My vote also goes to Memtest on a bootable CD, some Linux live disks include it. I think Ubuntu comes with it.

But make sure your Memtest will work with more RAM if you plan on testing all your sticks at the same time ?

 

[bikerman7502002]

I've already run memtest also, on each stick individually and on all 3 at once. The same thing with the windows memory diagnostic looping continued, even after memtest ran as well. It's to the point that right at the moment since I have a second hard drive, I hooked that up and loaded up windows 7 on that so I can continue on and see if there is any other instability in the system, or if it is somehow related to that HDD (which is already a replacement from an RMA lol)

but yeah, even dropping that HDD back in my system, it still goes straight to the WMD and continues looping. The worst part is I found the WMD file while running the drive externally but it won't let me delete it.

 

[Zoron]

When the BIOS screen comes up... tap F8 continually... don't just hit it once and hope you hit it at the perfect time. Don't stop tapping until you get some sort of boot menu.

 

[bit-by-bit]

I had this problem; it was so annoying I felt like throwing the computer out of the window. I did not fancy a reformat. Anyway, this is how you stop it. And this actually works, unlike the garbage people have put in this forum.

1) First, put your Windows 7 CD in the CD drive.

2) Press F8 then choose to boot from your CD (if this doesn't boot from the CD unplug the HDD then plug it back in when the CD has loaded)

3) Select your language and wait for the options menu to appear (can take several minutes)

4) Select "Repair Windows" and choose "Command Prompt"

5) Type the drive letter of the drive that has Windows 7 on if you have multiple HDD's. Example: E: + Enter and Dir + Enter to check its the right drive.

6) Type the below code and press enter. Bobs your uncle. That's all you need to do


bcdedit /bootsequence {memdiag} /remove

 

[bikerman7502002]

Thanks for the reply bit,

I had actually forgotten to end this post. I never did fix the looping issue, but I rma'd my power supply which ended up being the main problem and simply reformatted the drive that had the looping issue.

Problem solved

Thanks all